Classical Groups Vs. Broward Center

Broadway Shows Squeeze Them Out, Officials Claim.

June 19, 2006|By Lawrence A. Johnson Classical Music Writer

With frustration mounting over the lack of available dates at the Broward Center, officials of the Concert Association of Florida and Florida Grand Opera are voicing doubts about whether they will continue to present performances at the Fort Lauderdale venue in future seasons.

"Right now I don't even have an '07-08 season in that theater," said Judy Drucker, president of the Concert Association. "I haven't been able to get the dates."

Officials of both organizations have privately complained for years that the Broward Center's emphasis on reserving large blocks for touring Broadway shows has made scheduling their performances increasingly difficult.

Now, emboldened by the opening of the Miami Performing Arts Center this fall and the wider access afforded them, leaders of both the Concert Association and Florida Grand Opera are going public with their criticism.

Drucker said she was especially angered by an e-mail from Broward Center staff pulling back dates in March 2008 that she said had previously been offered her, because of a return engagement of the musical Wicked.

Two events she booked for those nights -- the State Symphony Orchestra of Russia and a recital by pianist Yundi Li -- may now have to be dropped entirely. "Right now I only have one concert after losing these two," she said.

Mark Nerenhausen, president of the Broward Center, said they often turn down Broadway and other presenters just as often as they do classical groups. He added that the Broward Center offered Drucker 55 dates to choose from. "That's 26 percent of the days in the prime season," Nerenhausen said. "Granted not all will fit, but to have 55 days between October and the end of April doesn't sound like we're shutting people out."

Nerenhausen said that with competing events like Miami City Ballet's five-week residence, the fact that dates don't always match up does not mean it's the fault of Broadway runs or that the dates are not available. "If Itzhak Perlman refuses to make himself available on the dates we have, is it our fault or is it Itzhak Perlman's fault?" he asked.

Drucker said that attitude doesn't take into account the way classical artists and orchestra booking is handled. "They don't understand that when a big orchestra like the Chicago Symphony Orchestra comes to town, you can't give them what you've got; they have to give you what their tour [availability] is."

The 2006-07 season will also mark the first time since the Broward Center opened in 1991 that two Florida Grand Opera productions, Verdi's Aida and Daniel Carlson's Anna Karenina, will not be presented in Fort Lauderdale because of the hall's unavailability.

"The Broadway shows are coming in for a long time, and they believe that's where their money is made," said Robert Heuer, general director of Florida Grand Opera. He contrasted the difference between the way booking is handled in Broward and at the new Miami Performing Arts Center, where resident companies are given preference for dates.

"It's still the premise [in Miami] that the resident groups are the main purpose and the other shows were to fill in the open dates," said Heuer. "That doesn't seem to be the attitude in Broward. I think their priority is making money and balancing their budget, not necessarily the sense that local companies have any kind of priority."

Drucker says she will do "everything in my power" to maintain a full lineup of events at the Broward Center, even with the increased scheduling issues. "I would like to continue having a series here but right now it's a big problem," she said. "I hope we can work this out."

Heuer said that Florida Grand will continue to try to present opera in Fort Lauderdale, but added that dropping their Broward Center performances entirely is not out of the question.

"It's going to continue to be difficult to do what we want to do up there," said Heuer. "We have the opportunity with [the Miami Performing Arts Center] to define our future, which we don't have in Broward."

"If we're successful enough in pulling people down to Miami and the Broward Center continues to give us too hard of a time, I guess we would look at `Do we really need to continue in Broward?'"

Lawrence A. Johnson can be reached at ljohnson@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4708.